Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Health in view of studies linking uncorrected hearing loss with dementia, whether the Ministry will consider allowing seniors to use MediSave for the purchase of their hearing aids.
The Minister of State for Health (Ms Rahayu Mahzam) (for the Minister for Health): Mr Speaker, seniors who require hearing aids can tap on the Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund (SMF), which provides eligible Singaporeans with means-tested subsidies of up to 90%. Those with severe hearing loss requiring hearing implants, such as bone conduction hearing or cochlear implants, can tap on subsidies, MediSave and MediShield Life. The Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) can also provide additional support.
While it is understandable that many Singaporeans wish to use more of their MediSave, we also need to ensure that Singaporeans have adequate MediSave balances to support their medical expenses for major health episodes, which tend to happen when they are in an advanced age.
Mr Speaker: Mr Dennis Tan.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Hougang): Mr Speaker, I have one supplementary question. The SMF has got a limit consideration of $2,000 monthly income per person and that suitably limits a lot of seniors from applying for assistance. So, a lot of seniors who do not qualify under the SMF, they will have to fork out their own cash and the cost of the hearing aid is quite significant for seniors who are currently not working and they have to pay in cash.
So, I would like to ask the Ministry to reconsider whether seniors can be allowed to use part of their MediSave for the purpose of hearing aid. And this is all the more important, especially given the recent studies that have shown the connection between hearing loss and dementia.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam: I note the concern that the Member raised on the limitations of the SMF. I would say though that there are over 16,000 seniors since 2019, I believe, who have already applied for this fund and most of them will actually get subsidies; 99% of them are eligible and actually would get the subsidies. So, for those of them who cannot meet the eligibility requirement, they can go to AIC for any additional support. [Please refer to “Clarification by Minister of State for Health“, Official Report, 16 October 2024, Vol 95, Issue 144, Correction By Written Statement section.]
I note the Member’s concerns, but I think it is a balancing exercise that we have to take note of. This is something that we will constantly review and assess because there is a need to also ensure that there are sufficient balances in MediSave. We take into account how we reserve this for the more severe situations and more costly items. And this is a principle that we adhere to. It is something that we will continue to assess.
As I said, if there are situations where the seniors feel that they actually cannot afford it and do not meet the SMF eligibility requirements, they can approach AIC and we can see what are some of the other ways that we can support the seniors.
Ministry of Health
16 October 2024
https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/#/sprs3topic?reportid=oral-answer-3681
Office of the Leader of the Opposition 